Antonio Guterres Commends De-escalation Efforts as Modi, and Sharif Agree to Immediate Truce
United Nations, May 10 — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, calling it a significant step towards de-escalation after a dangerous surge in military confrontations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.“We are monitoring but we welcome all efforts to de-escalate the conflict,” said Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, in a statement from New York on Saturday.
The ceasefire announcement came just hours after both countries launched retaliatory strikes on each other's military installations, following India’s Operation Sindoor — a targeted mission against nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
US Applauds Ceasefire, Reveals Mediation Role
The truce was brokered through backchannel diplomacy led by the United States. President Donald Trump confirmed the development in a post on Truth Social, stating,US Secretary of State Marco Rubio further detailed the diplomatic efforts, noting that Vice President J D Vance and he had engaged extensively with top leaders from both nations, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik.
Rubio announced that both governments had not only agreed to the ceasefire but also committed to initiate dialogue on a broad range of issues at a neutral location.
India Confirms Ceasefire Deal
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also confirmed the agreement in a social media post, stating that India and Pakistan had "worked out an understanding on stoppage of firing and military action."The ceasefire marks a dramatic turn in the recent escalation that saw Pakistan attempting to strike Indian military sites in retaliation for Operation Sindoor. However, Indian officials said those attempts were largely unsuccessful.
As global diplomatic and security circles closely monitor the situation, the ceasefire offers a glimmer of hope for regional stability, with expectations now resting on the upcoming bilateral talks.